Valentine Tradition
by BadgerInMySoup
Summary: In which Lil hates Valentine tradition....until it happens to her, of course.


AN- So, my school has this tradition- sell flowers around or on Valentine's Day for a dollar- buy someone you love a flower! And, this gave me a fic idea. And, my first Rugrats fic idea, which is awesome, because I've been dying for a Rugrats fic idea for ages! Anyway, a little V-Day joy to all, I know this is like three days early but I really wanted to post. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Lil Deville's usually pretty features were hindered by a scowl as she gazed around the crowded hallway. Couples walking around, huge smiles on their faces and roses in their hands, looking upon their significant others with stars in their eyes. She rolled her eyes and leaned against the cool metal of her locker, crossing her arms over her chest as well.

"I know that look- Lil is displeased."

Kimi Finster grinned as she walked up to her best gal-pal. She tucked a lock of purple hair behind her ear and leaned next to Lil, gazing out at the couples. She waited patiently for a Lil-rant.

"It's just so stupid! Valentine's Day is supposed to be romantic and spontaneous for people in their twenties! Not for high-schoolers with a feisty libido, looking to score. And, a flower? A flower that will die out before the day is over and that's too big to tuck anywhere so you're forced to carry it around? Don't forgot the fact that it makes people who _aren't _in a relationship feel like an idiot."

Lil took a deep breath and continued scowling while Kimi played the best friend role and nodded in outrage. "Agreed. They should just totally cancel the whole Buy a Flower deal. It's a dumb tradition."

They started walking down the hallway together, coasting around huddles of fellow students.

"Thank you." Lil said. Then, she stopped dead. Taped to Kimi's locker was none other than a simple, red rose.

She glanced at her best friend and, to her astonishment, saw a pleased smile creep upon her face.

"It's still a dumb tradition, right?" Lil asked, hopefully.

"Not when your brother pulls off a rare, romantic gesture." Kimi said, plucking the rose off her locker.

"I hate Phil."

"Someone call my name?" Phil Deville asked, suddenly popping up beside Kimi. He placed an arm casually around her shoulders and grinned, his green eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Like the flower?" he asked.

"Depends. If I sniff it, will something liquid squirt in my face?" Kimi asked.

"No. That kind of flower cost like ten bucks and I'm not made of money. Unfortunately, this is but a simple rose, which your beauty obviously outshines."

Kimi rolled her eyes but blushed lightly. "Thanks."

Phil pecked her cheek and Lil made a disgusted noise. "If you two are going to get all couple-y, I'm out of here. Bye."

She left behind her best friend and brother and desperately hoped that her day would go up from there.

* * *

How very wrong she was.

Lil sat in the lunchroom, alone at empty table, and people all over exchanged flowers. Phil and Kimi are sitting at their own table being disgustingly cute. Angelica was twirling her own flower between her fingers, wearing a pleased grin and not revealing who sent said flower (though, Chuckie looked a lot happier this afternoon- and the hickey on his neck was pretty obvious). Even Dil, the oddest boy in the entire school, had a flower. No, scratch that, he had a dozen flowers. And, a dozen girls flocked around his table.

"Is this seat taken?"

Lil grinned as Tommy Pickles sat down across from her, smiling broadly. Upon closer inspection, he looked a little flustered but she chalked it up to his usual boisterous nature.

"Finally! Someone sane."

He raised an eyebrow. "Sane? As opposed to....."

"The entire school. This flower epidemic has driven the entire high school population crazy."

"Epidemic? You make it sound like a disease."

"It should be. Wasting a dollar on a flower to show someone you care when you can say, 'I love you' for free and get the same message across. It's stupid."

"I never pegged you for a cynic."

"Only around Valentine's Day." Lil told him, grinning cheekily.

"Well, you're the only one. The atmosphere in this room does seem to be about a level ten on the happiness scale. Maybe eleven," Tommy stated, his eyes wandering over his friends and relatives.

"Even my brother bought a flower! Which is surprisingly sweet, I suppose. For Phil, anyway. The point is, he's supposed to be the only sane one here and even he's become a V-Day Pod Person."

"Coming to a theater near you," Tommy began in his best announcer voice. "They all thought it was a normal Valentine's Day. Until, the Pod People attacked! Watch them give flowers and candy as substitutes for love, all the while plotting their attack on humankind. Staring Lil Deville as the Sanest Person on Earth and brought to you by T. Pickles, world renown director."

"I'd see it." Lil said.

Tommy grinned. "I'll get right on the script. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until the Pod Person has left my brain."

Her look of confusion turned into one of horror as he brought his hand- and the rose clasped inside it- into view. He looked apologetically at her.

"You too?" she asked, wounded. "Is there anyone else who realizes how idiotic and annoying this tradition is?"

"Annoying and idiotic, huh?" Tommy asked. "Is that really how you feel?"

"Yes!" Lil exclaimed, missing the disappointed look on Tommy's face as eyes swiveled her way and she ducked her head from embarrassment.

* * *

Later that day, Lil walked down the hall towards her locker. She was in a much better mood since lunch and was looking forward to the fact that her day was nearly over. A flash of red had her stopping in her tracks and she gazed, in open-mouthed surprise, at the rose taped to her locker. She glanced around the hall. Surely, this was a joke, and she would soon catch the perpetrators. But, no one spared her a look and she was left with the feeling that this wasn't a prank.

For the first time, she noticed a note underneath the flower. She gently removed both from her locker and unfolded the paper.

_Happy Valentine's Day, Lil_

_-Your secret admirer. _

She brought the flower close to her nose and inhaled. It smelled fresh and beautiful and, to her immense horror.....

It made her smile.

* * *

After school, Chuckie and Kimi were waiting for Lil. Tommy and Phil had soccer practice and Dil was off somewhere entertaining his new fan club. Kimi gasped loudly as Lil came into view, holding a flower and shouldering her backpack.

"Who's it from?" Chuckie asked with a smile.

"No idea." Lil replied. "Secret admirer. "

"Not such a dumb tradition now, huh?" Kimi asked.

Lil grinned guiltily. "Not as bad as I thought, no. But, still pretty dumb."

"Shut up. You're pleased and flattered. Admit it." Kimi demanded with a grin.

"Fine! I admit it- I'm pleased and flattered. I just wish I knew who it was from."

"How about we head back to your house and play detective?" Kimi offered.

Lil glanced down at the flower and grinned. "Let's."

* * *

"So, who likes you?" Kimi asked.

The purple-haired one was pacing the bedroom of Lil, a notebook in one hand and a pencil in the other. Lil was reclined on her bed, gazing at the flower in a vase that sat upon her bedside table.

"No one. Other than my loving friends, but we already established it wasn't from Dil or Chuckie or you, which would have been creepy. Or, Phil, which would have been creepier. There's no way Angelica would do this, she's not that mean. And, Tommy had plans of his own."

Kimi stopped pacing. "What?"

"Oh, yeah, at lunch, he had flower. I never got to ask who the lucky girl was," Lil paused. "I wonder if it's Brian Davis."

"Tommy's flower was for Brian Davis?"

"No! My secret admirer. He sits behind me in Bio. Very cute with the most gorgeous brown eyes ever. He talks to me a lot."

"He's also sating Stacy Stevens." Kimi pointed out.

"This is true." Lil muttered.

Someone knocked on the door, then barged in without waiting for an answer.

"Phil!" Lil exclaimed. "Knock first!"

"So-ry." Phil exclaimed, walking over to Kimi and giving her a small kiss. "Hey."

"Hey." Kimi said, smiling goofily at him.

"Gah! You're getting mud on my carpet! How many times as mom told you- take the shoes off before entering the house."

Phil glanced down at his soccer trainers and realized they were indeed caked with mud. He offered his sister a sheepish smile and apology before slipping out of them and creeping out of the room, holding them over his hand to catch any residual mud. Lil sighed as he closed the door behind him.

"You really like him, why?"

"He's sweet, cute, funny, makes me smile, makes me happy. Need I go on?" Kimi asked.

"No." Lil replied, with a small smile. "Back to our detective work."

"Ok, now, you said Tommy bought a flower. Did he ever state for whom it was for?"

"No."

"And, he bought it at lunch?"

"Yes."

"And you found yours after lunch?"

"Yes. Now can we stop talking about Tommy and start focusing on more guys who might possibly like me?"

Kimi shook her head- for a smart girl, Lil could be really daft sometimes. "Just a sec. I need to use the bathroom."

* * *

"Dil's House of Love, Dil speaking. How may I fulfill your needs?

"Dillon Pickles, put your brother on the phone this instant or the consequences will be dire." Kimi growled into the receiver.

After a moment's pause, Tommy's voice filtered through. "Who is this and why is brother running away from the phone as fast as humanly possible?"

"I hear you have a crush."

"Hello to you too, Kim. A crush? And, wherever did you hear such talk?"

"Lil mentioned you bought a flower. Who'd you give it to?"

"How is this your business?"

"Are all your answers going to be questions?"

"Are all your questions going to be prying into my personal life?"

"Tommy!"

"Yes, I bought a flower. And, yes, I gave it to a girl."

"Lil got a flower today. From a secret admirer."

"Really? Good for her. Any idea who it's from?"

"You should stick to directing, because you fail at acting." Kimi reported dryly.

He was silent for a moment. "Did she like it?"

"Loved it, actually, which is surprising for someone who spent the better half of the morning bitching about how stupid the tradition was."

Tommy chuckled. "That's Lil for ya. Does.....does she suspect?"

"No. Which is why you have to tell her."

"No."

"Tommy."

"No. I'm not telling her. Look, it took all I had to give her the stupid thing. But, to actually tell her? And risk the whole, 'we're-better-off-as-friends' conversation? No thanks."

"If you don't fess up, she'll just think someone else gave it to her. And focus on her energy and winning over said person. If you don't tell her it was from you...she'll find someone else."

Tommy was silent on the other end.

* * *

Kimi walked back into Lil's room, smiling apologetically. "Sorry it took me so long, I-"

"Was macking on my brother? Figured."

Kimi stuck her tongue out at Lil. "Alright. So, let's go back to Tommy."

"Why? I've thought of a whole list of candidates for my secret admirer. We'll figure out his girlfriend later."

"I meant, let's go back to Tommy as a suspect."

"Tommy? You think Tommy gave me the flower? No way."

"Why not?" Kimi asked.

"Because I'm not his type."

This floored Kimi for a moment- she was totally expecting the "we're just really good friends" or "I'm totally not into him" speech.

"What do you mean?"

"Tommy dates blonds. Beautiful, outgoing and popular blonds. I'm average looking, not blond and not popular. Therefore, not his type. Plus, we're just friends."

"You've thought about this." Kimi said, carefully gauging her friend's reaction.

"Well....yeah. Tommy's attractive, I'd have to be an idiot not to notice. There might have been some interest in him for a while, but that's dead and buried."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"And, if it turns out, it was Tommy who gave you the flower.....what would you do?"

"I'd-" Lil stopped. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Kimi said, hurriedly.

Lil raised an eyebrow. "Kimi.....is there something you're not telling me?"

"Yes. It's almost four and I have to go. It's my shift at Java Lava. We'll pick up detective work later. Bye!"

She was out the door before Lil could say another word.

* * *

Lil sat on the roof outside her window, gazing at the sky as it turned a soft orange. She held the infamous flower in her hand and sniffed it occasionally, still wondering who on Earth it could be from.

"Knock knock."

She jumped slightly as Tommy poked his head out from her window. "Hey."

"Hey. Want some company?"

"Sure. What are you doing here?" she asked as he crawled next to her.

"Bored. Saw you chilling on the roof- thought I'd join in. Nice flower."

"Thanks. Secret admirer."

"Oh? Any idea who?"

"Nah. Kimi and I tried to figure it out earlier but she bailed on me for work. I guess this is one mystery that has to go unsolved, for now at least. I just wish I knew who it was."

"Well." Tommy said, carefully. "He'd have to be someone who realizes how incredible you are. Like, how you're one of those natural beauties who doesn't need make-up or fancy clothes to be pretty. Or, like how you're the best soccer player ever- not just girl either, but you're better than most guys. And how you're funny. And, amazing. And...how lucky he would be to have you."

"Tommy." Lil whispered, looking at her friend of sixteen years with wonder.

"Or, maybe he'd be dumb enough to blab the whole thing on her roof to her and-"

She kissed him. Just leaned forward and captured his lips with hers. Sparks flew, heart beats multiplied by a billion and butterflies fluttered around. It was sweet and it was perfect. They pulled apart slowly, blue eyes met green. They smiled at each other.

Tommy coughed lightly. "So....does this mean you're my girlfriend?"

Lil bit her lip. "Do you want me to be your girlfriend."

"Only since last year." he admitted with a blush.

She snuggled closer to him and he wrapped an arm around her. "Then, yes, this means I'm your girlfriend."

"Cool." he kissed her forehead. "So, the pressing question: still think Valentine flowers are annoying and idiotic?"

"Eh, they're not _that _annoying. It's kind of a cute tradition, really."

Tommy chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I figured."

She pulled away, prepared to blow him away with a witty retort. But, his mouth descended on hers and she realized, the retort could wait.

This was better.

* * *

AN- Thanks for reading!


End file.
